The college admissions season is in full swing and many of you have been hearing back from institutions already. One thing that many students and parents often have questions about is the waitlist. What is the waitlist and how does it work? Let’s take a look.
Why Is the Wait List?
As you’ve likely inferred from the name, the waitlist means you have not been admitted to the college but also have not been denied admission. In other words, you qualify but may or may not get in.
When colleges send their admission decisions, they do not admit the exact number of students that they have spots available for. This is because students frequently get admitted to multiple universities and can only choose to attend one. Thus, colleges admit more students than they have spots.
This is done based on something called yield. Universities assume based on prior mathematical data that a certain percent of students they offer admission to will attend. So a college with 900 spots and a yield rate of 90% will admit 1,000 students, expecting 900 of them to accept. This is a bit overly simplistic but gives a basic idea.
As yield seems to be low, colleges will begin to admit students off of the waitlist.
Will I Get Off the Wait List?
Traditionally, the odds of getting off the waitlist have been very slim. This is because there are lots of people on the waitlist and very few are invited off. However, this year’s college admissions game is a bit different.
Because of the pandemic, colleges are largely missing a year of data, which can make their mathematical models be off. Thus, colleges are expected to put more students on the waitlist than a typical year. From the college’s perspective, while having too few students accept will lead to budget problems, having too many accept will lead to structural problems such as overcrowding of dorms and classes.
Thus, with larger waitlists and fewer people offered admission right away, more students will be accepted off the waitlist this year than most years.
What Should I Do If I’m on the Wait List?
There are a few things you should do if you find yourself waitlisted.
Reflect. Is this college still a place you want to attend? If it’s near the top of your choices, confirm your place on the waitlist and stay on it. If not, consider eliminating it from your search.
Consider a Tour. Visiting campus shows colleges that you are interested in them. They are more likely to extend an invite if they think you’ll accept. Seeing a campus in person can also help you clarify if you want to attend the college or not.
Contact the College. An important strategy is to send a letter detailing any new information since your application. Include things like new extracurricular activities and honors. Reassert your desire to attend the school if admitted. This can help move you up the list.
Final Thoughts. Ultimately, the waitlist can be a very stressful place, especially if you are on the waitlist for your top school but receive an offer from another contender. In the end, following these tips can help you decide what to do and advocate for admission.
